Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who signed the law, says the increase in tickets shows the law's usefulness to "crack down hard on distracted driving."

Data show more than 3,700 tickets issued the past year in Manhattan, followed by Queens with about 3,300 and Brooklyn with 3,200.

Administration officials cite research showing that drivers that use handheld electronic devices while driving are four times more likely to be involved in a crash.

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